Back-to-school time for your little ones is fast approaching. And after many weeks of enjoying the weather and family time, it's time to get back into the swing of things so you're not completely overwhelmed on back-to-school day.
With a little organization, you should be able to get through it with flying colors. Here's a 5-day back-to-school plan to help you face the back-to-school season and prepare for it with peace of mind!
Day 5: A brief overview
Prepare your children for back-to-school by talking to them about it to ease their fears and concerns about it. Ask them questions: Are they excited about going back to school? Are they happy to be back with their friends? Yes, no, why? Talk to them without making a big deal about it. Start talking to them today and then a little bit every day.
Buy the necessary school supplies as soon as possible. If you have a supply list for next year, don't wait. The stores will be crowded in a few days and you may not be able to find certain items on the shelves. Try to get as much as you can from your office supplies and recycle last year's school supplies. Then replenish your supply of anything that needs to be replaced as the year progresses and is easily lost: pencils, glue tubes, erasers, ink cartridges, scrapbooks, course sheets, etc.
Move your bedtime forward by quarter-hour intervals until the day of. Sleep is very important for children. It is during the night that the growth hormone is made and therefore they grow.
Day 4: The schoolboy's wardrobe
Take an inventory of your children's wardrobe and the clothes they need to buy. Also consider whether you need to buy new shoes and a rain jacket with a hood. Children grow up faster than you think and sometimes you are surprised when you have to put on your June jacket.
Also remember to wash your children's clothes. Run the machines one after the other so that everything is ready for the big day and the week after.
Mark your children's clothes with their names, including coats, anoraks and jackets. Even if it's not the season yet, mark also hats, scarves and gloves. This way, everything is done together, without wasting time looking for the marking material.
Day 3: Adapting a routine for a peaceful back-to-school experience
Children's morning routine: set up a morning routine to get them into the habit little by little.
1. First: Wake up gently and get up calmly.
2. Second: Refresh your hands and face.
3. Next: Dressing and styling.
4. Then: Have a good breakfast all together and in a good mood.
5. Brush your teeth.
Back-to-school routine: Set up a back-to-school routine that you will implement on the day.
1. Have a good snack.
2. Check binders for the class journal and documents to be filled out and signed.
3. Have homework done.
4. Relax after homework.
Children's bedtime routine: Set up a bedtime routine to make bedtime a calm experience rather than a hurried, urgent one.
1. Take a shower or bath and get into your pajamas.
2. Prepare the clothes for the next day. You can't imagine how much time you'll save the next morning.
3. Brush teeth, drink a glass of water, pee.
4. Tell a story and give a big hug.
5. Good night!
Routines are important for parents' organization and for children's balance. Determine the times for each step, set rules and limits. It makes everyone feel better and kids love routines!
Day 2: Healthy meals and vitamins
Plan for healthy meals and practical for school if your child does not have hot meals prepared by the canteen. Carrying around tinfoil wrapped lunches in your school bag all morning can make lunch unappetizing. That's why it's best to opt for a large lunch box in which you can put your sandwiches, snacks and juice. To keep the food fresh, put the frozen juice box in the lunch box. The drink will be thawed at lunch time and the food will stay fresh. For a healthy snack, a fresh fruit or even a vegetable is ideal!
Vitamin D, the official supplier of calcium, is the vitamin for growing well par excellence. It is thanks to the sun that vitamin D is manufactured by the body. However, even a healthy and balanced diet is not enough to meet the vitamin D needs of children.
Make a menu plan. List your children's favourite foods and make a menu list for the next two weeks.
Day 1: Final preparations
Test the route to school if you are changing schools or if one of your children will be using public transportation for the first time. Show them where to stop and walk the entire way to school with them. You'll feel better and so will they. Measure the time it takes to get to school and make a note of the bus or streetcar's "to and from" schedule. Give a copy of the schedule to your child and keep one for yourself or your babysitter.
Adapt the evening routine:
1. First, get the binders ready and set them out in the hallway, ready to be taken away.
2. Then, put your children to bed relatively early. Don't break the rule, it's all about their well-being and balance.
3. And finally, prepare lunch boxes and drinks for the whole day tomorrow. Keep them in the fridge until the morning.
D-Day: Back to school is here!
It's time to put your morning, back-to-school and evening routines into practice. Here are a few more tips to get you off to a good start.
- First, wake your children up not too early or too late.
- Then have a good breakfast together if possible, in a relaxed and good mood.
- Then, put the lunches in the binders before leaving for school.
- Finally, leave in time to arrive on time. On the first day, arrive at school 15 minutes early to allow the little ones to acclimate. After that, you can afford to arrive 10 minutes early so that you are always on time for class.
You are now ready to prepare for the new school year with peace of mind! Don't hesitate to share your organizational tips in comments, it will help more than one!
